A Bow in Her Hair
by Foundation of Dreams
Summary: All Human. Alice/ Jasper. Based on the song, "Travelling Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks. It's my first Alice/Jasper fic! Please, read and review! T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there! So, this is a one-shot based on the song "Travelling Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks. It's centered around Alice and Jasper.**

**Now, I'm no war/army expert. And I don't really know how long it takes for letters to ship. So...I guessed about these things. If I got things wrong, I'm sorry!! **

**I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammer mistakes. **

**And, I do not own Twilight. Or "travelling soldier." So...don't sue me!!**

* * *

A young man dressed in army uniform wandered into a diner in a town by the bay. He had sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes, his build was tall and lean. He looked a little nervous. He sat down in a booth, setting his green duffel bag on the seat beside him. His name was Jasper Whitlock, and he'd just turned eighteen a few days ago. Before too long, a girl came to take his order. She was small in size, but not a child, and had a mature look about her that made the fact obvious. She had long black hair, braided down her back and tied with a red bow. Her name was Alice Brandon, and she was fifteen years old. She stood there for a moment, waiting for him to tell her what she wanted. It seemed like the boy was shy, so she gave him a reassuring smile to urge him on. He returned the smile

"Um. Coffee, please." He told her, saying the first thing that came to mind. He didn't really want anything, but he was waiting for his bus out and had nothing to do for a couple of hours. She nodded and walked away to get it for him.

"What did he ask for?" her dad asked her as she walked past the counter. Business hadn't been to great lately, and he always got excited when anyone other than the few regulars came in the diner.

"Just coffee, Daddy." She said, reaching out and patting his arm affectionately.

Jasper jumped when she set down the coffee in front of him, along with some sugar. He looked up into Alice's face. She smiled at him again, then turned her back, starting to walk away again. He was lonely, and when he was being honest with himself, a little scared of what his life was going to be like in the next few months. He didn't stop to think when he called out,

"Wait!" She turned again, her braid flying over her shoulder.

"Yes?" her voice was high pitched and clear, sounding of bells, he noticed. He also realized that he hadn't thought of what he was going to say next.

"Um. Do-do you think you could keep me company for awhile? Truth be told, I'm feelin' kinda low..." he stammered, his Texas accent pronouncing itself, then dropped his eyes down to his coffee again, stirring in a bit of sugar. Alice bit her lower lip and toyed with end of braid for a minute before answering,

"I'm off in an hour, and I know where we can go. You're waiting for a bus, aren't you? How long do you have? I'm Alice, by the way." She said, all very quickly, then stuck out her hand. Jasper had to smile as he shook her hand; it was so much smaller than his.

"Jasper Whitlock. Pleased to meet you ma'am." He drawled, and, to her surprise, Alice giggled a little behind her free hand, then he answered her questions.

"Ali!" her dad yelled, reminding her that she was still working.

"One hour." She reminded him again, then went off to check on the diner's other occupants. As she left, Jasper noticed that she walked, in fact every move she made had a special grace to it. It was like she constantly dancing.

_Alice. _Jasper said her name in his head again, smiling down at the murky depths of his coffee. Maybe it was just because of the state of mind he was in right now, but he liked this girl. _Nah. _He thought after a minute, shaking his head. He would've liked her under any other circumstance.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

"How old are you?" Alice asked as she walked with Jasper out to the end of the pier.

"Eighteen." He answered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Really? Well, I'm only fifteen, but I'll be sixteen at the end of October." She informed him, then began to skip. He stood still, halfway to the end of the long pier, and watched her, awed. He'd never met a girl like her before. She turned to look at him, also stopping, a few feet away.

"Well, come on!" she called back to him, then started skipping again.

_Aw, what the hell. _He thought, then followed her, laughing as he skipped. They sat down, side by side, their feet dangling off the end of the pier.

"So, are you from around here? I don't think I've ever seen you before." Alice asked, looking out over the water, swinging her legs back and forth.

"Yes. Well, not exactly. I live on the other side of town, really. It's no wonder we haven't bumped into each other before." he said. His voice was deep and he spoke in a soft manner. Unlike Alice, he didn't really say a whole lot. She nodded in response. They made small talk for awhile after that, asking each other more about their daily lives, their families, their hobbies, and so on.

Jasper glanced down at his watch and sighed.

"It's almost time for me to go." He said sadly. Alice was sure she heard a tiny bit of fear slip into his words too. She let her own shoulders slump. She'd liked talking with him, just being with him, really. She couldn't explain it, but she liked this boy. _It's not fair. _She thought, frowning to herself. _We just met, and he's about to leave for war..._Then, Jasper turned to look at her, his face suddenly determined.

"I bet you've got a boyfriend...but, I don't care." he said. _She's such a pretty girl. Surely someone other fellow's noticed it. _He thought.

"Actually, I don't..." she interrupted him, suddenly looking a little lonely herself.

"Well, I'm surprised. All those boys must be blind not to see what a pretty girl you are." He said, smiling and, feeling daring, reaching out and taking her hand. He still marveled at how tiny and soft it was, but loved the way it felt in his. He couldn't help but be a little glad that she wasn't taken already, in spite of himself. She smiled brightly, looking down at her lap to hide the faint blush on her cheeks.

"Thank you." She said softly. Taking a risk herself, she laced her small fingers through his. For a moment, he lost his train of thought as he watched her.

"I don't have anyone to write to, except my parents. Would you mind if I sent a few letters here, to you?" he asked her, feeling shy again. Alice looked up, and then she nodded.

"Yeah, you can write to me." she said, smiling again and then she gave his hand a little squeeze. Jasper looked down at his watch again and groaned.

"We'd better get back." He said, letting go of her hand and getting to his feet, then offering his hand to help her up. She took it, but didn't let go when she was back on her feet.

"May I?" she asked, indicating their hands. He chuckled softly and let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders, then reached across and took her hand again with his opposite hand.

They walked back down the pier in silence, both much more serious now. They got back just in time, and Jasper ran back into the diner to get his bag. Alice waited outside.

"Well, Miss Alice. I thank you for keeping me company today and I'm sorry to say goodbye." Then he pulled her out of the view of the diner's windows and kissed her, before his head could remind him that he'd just met her a few hours ago. It surprised her, but after a moment, she kissed him back.

Then, the driver of the bus honked, and Jasper had to pull away.

"Be safe." She said as she watched him climb on, wondering if he'd even heard her.

Jasper walked to the first empty seat he saw, set his bag down, and started waving to her. She waved back, choking on a combination of a sob and a laugh. She waved until she couldn't see the bus anymore, then dried her tears and started on the walk home.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

_Dear Miss Alice,_

_Well, to tell the truth, I'm not at all sure of what to write. _

_The food is...bad, to say the least. But, I'll manage. I guess you get used to it after awhile. _

_I'm going to admit it, I miss home. I miss my mom, and my dad, and you too. I miss having my own room, and hot showers. I miss my mom's food, even though she wasn't the best cook out there. I know I'm not the only person who does. We might not tell each other, but you can tell. _

_The man who sleeps in the bunk next to me is named Ryan. He's an English teacher from Montana. He's married, and has a baby on the way. I think I'm having a hard time...I can't even imagine what it's like for him. His baby will probably be born while we're overseas. _

_Write me soon?_

_Jasper_

Alice finished reading her first letter from Jasper, then re-read it over again. He missed her...she smiled a little bit. She was about to start writing her own letter to him, but her mom poked her head into the room.

"Alice? Come down and help out, please."

She sighed. Letter writing would just have to wait a little while.

Two hours later, she sat at her desk, tapping her pencil on her head, wondering what she should write. She stared down at the blank sheet of paper in front of her, then started.

_Dear Jasper,_

_Don't feel bad about not knowing what to write. I don't either, really. _

_Food. Ugh. I don't even want to think about it anymore! I've been waiting tables since I got home from school and it's...8:45 now. _

_Do you know when you're leaving?_

_Here, I'll help you out a little. Here are some things for you to write about!_

_What do you want to do when you come back home?_

_If you could have ONE thing, anything, right this minute, what would it be?_

_What's one funny story from when you were little?_

_That's all I can think of right now, haha. And...looking back at them, those all sound kind of stupid. Oh well, hopefully you won't mind. _

_Alice_

Alice yawned, and glanced at the clock. _Wow. It took me forever to write that, and it's not even a full sheet of paper! _She quickly folded the letter up and put it in it's envelope, then addressed it carefully. She dug out a stamp and stuck it on, smiling, then hurried out of her room with it to put in the pile of things to be mailed.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

"Whitlock." Two letters landed on the table next Jasper. He swallowed quickly, and grabbed the letters.

"Grant." He heard, then the slap of a letter being dropped on the table on his other side. Ryan's hand reached out, faster than Jasper's had been, and snatched it up. His eyes scanned it, and his face lit up.

"It's from Sophie." He told Jasper, setting it back down next to his plate very carefully. "What about you? You got a girl back home?" Jasper smiled to himself, and picked up his letters, reading the return address on the first. That one was from his mom and dad.

"Sorta. I guess." He answered Ryan, laying down the first letter. He wasn't really sure if he was...allowed to say that Alice was his girlfriend. Was she? Did she want to be? He read the address on the second one, and his heart jumped, a smile lighting up his face. This one was from Alice. He heard Ryan laugh from what seemed like a half mile away.

"Even if she's not, you wish she was." He said, didn't ask. _He's right. _Jasper thought. _I wish she was. _

"I'm heading out." Jasper said, standing up and untangling his legs from the long bench they sat on. He clapped Ryan on the back and picked up his letters, then strode out of the tent.

He sat on his bunk, reading his letters slowly in the almost empty tent.

_Jasper,_

_We were so glad when we got your letter!_

That was his mom's handwriting. His dad's was a lot messier, and scrunched up.

_I was so worried about you, in fact, I still am. Promise me you'll be careful, won't you dear? The Woods found out their son was killed just two days ago! It was horrible and the poor woman is devastated, simply devastated. You won't do that to your poor mother, will you?_

_Well. My garden out in the back yard is doing very well. The sunflowers are huge! I wish you could see them. Oh, I miss you so much! _

_Is there anything you need? Clothes? Blankets? Paper? Socks? Anything? _

_You'll write me before you're shipped over seas, won't you? _

_You're father says hello, and to tell you that he misses you. There was a big storm last night and the damp weather is making his bad knee act u_

_Oh my goodness! I'm sorry to cut this short, darling, but I smell dinner burning!_

_Lots of Love,_

_Mama_

_Lydia Whitlock_

Jasper laughed at the way his mom ended it. It was just like her. He'd expected her to be borderline panicking, so he wasn't surprised that she took up half the letter with worrying about him. He set that letter aside, and picked up the one from Alice. He slit it open very carefully, and started to read as slowly has he could, to make it last.

He read it over another time after that, and grinned. He looked around quickly, to make sure no one was watching, then brought the piece of paper up to his face, and inhaled. He'd been right; he could smell Alice's perfume on it. He set the letter down by beside him, fast, as he heard someone else coming in.

That night, by the light of a lamp, he sat outside the tent and started writing back to Alice. There were plenty of stars out, and he kept glancing up at them while he was thinking of what to say.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

"Alice?" Alice's mother asked as she walked in the diner after school.

"Hm?" Alice asked, sitting down at one of the stools along the counter. "Hey, Mom, I'm really thirsty, can I have a glass of milk please?" she set down her armful of books next to her. Her mother sighed and set down the milk in front of her, then held up a letter. Alice was confused, and read the return address. It was from Jasper. She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face.

"Alice, who is this 'Jasper Whitlock?' Why is he writing to you?" her mom asked, sounding slightly concerned. Alice sighed, and took a sip of her milk to buy her time. She was afraid this would happen. She was worried that her parents might not approve of her writing to a boy that she'd only met once.

"He's a boy I met a few weeks ago..." she said, acting like it was nothing.

"And?" Mrs. Brandon prodded, setting the letter down. Looking down at her hands spread out on the counter, Alice told her mom about Jasper, everything about how they'd met, including the kiss when he left.

"Mama, you're not going to make me stop writing to him will you?" she blurted out after she was finished. Her mother walked around to her side of the counter and sat down next to her, putting her arm around Alice. Her dad poked his head out of the kitchen and opened his mouth to ask what was going on, but his wife shooed him.

"Girl stuff." She told him, and that was enough to make him let it be.

"Oh, Alice. No, I'm not going to make you stop writing, I'm not cruel. I was your age once too, remember? I know what it's like, your first love." Alice's mouth dropped open in shock. First love? But, she knew that it was true, so she quickly shut it again and listened to her mom.

"Be careful. He's three years older than you are, and he's off to war. Even if he does come back alive, God willing, there's a chance he'll have changed. And you'll have changed too. He'll probably want to go with a girl closer to his age, sweetie. Be his friend. Nothing more." Then, she got up and went to help her husband with preparing for the evening "rush."

Alice sat there, stunned. It was a lot to take in. For a moment, she wondered if her mother was right, and if it would be best to make sure that he thought of her as friend and nothing more, but she quickly pushed that out of her head. She didn't want that. She'd rather run the risk of being a little heartbroken later on. She snatched the letter of the counter and put on top of her stack of books, and carried them up the stairs to her room. She set her books down on the desk, then plopped down on her bed, kicking her shoes off, and opened the letter.

_Dear little Miss Alice,_

_Well, I'll start off by answering your questions. _

_What do I want to do when I get home?_

_Let's see. Career wise...I really don't know, to tell the truth. I never really thought about it all that much. But, I know that when I get home, I want to see you again. First thing, I want to see you. _

_If I could have ONE thing, right now, it would be...a picture of you, I think. Food items won't last, and I'd feel guilty if I didn't share them. I wouldn't want you to actually be here, I couldn't do that. So, a picture would do. _

_A funny story from my childhood? Oh, man. Maybe you should ask my mom about that one...I can't really think of any, at least, any that I would really want you to know about. _

_I'm being shipped out in about a week and a half. I'm not going to lie...I'm scared. _

_I'm sitting outside tonight. The sky is beautiful; stars everywhere and a crescent moon. I can't even describe it, but I wish I could be looking at it with you, instead of by myself. _

_Hey. Why don't look up at the moon tonight, say around...10:00 your time (8:00 mine,) and we'll know that we're both looking up at the same moon. _

_I got a letter from my mom today, along with yours. It was basically her telling me that she misses me and not to get killed over and over again. I wonder if she knows that it doesn't really make me feel better, her reminding me of where I am, and where I'm going to?_

_And, I have something to ask you. _

_I've kinda been wondering lately...what am I to you? Am I a friend?_

_Okay, you know what, I'm not going to waste time and dance around the subject._

The writing got shakier, so Alice could tell that Jasper was nervous when he wrote this part.

_Would you be my girlfriend? _

_I understand if you don't want to be. I mean, we only met once, and I'm hundreds of miles away from you, and I'm about to be halfway around the world from you..._

_Sincerely, _

_Jasper Whitlock. _

Alice finished reading and let the letter fall onto her stomach. She put her hands behind her head and looked up at the ceiling, thinking.

_"He'll have changed. Closer to his age. Be his friend, nothing more." _Her mother's word echoed in her head. Alice chewed on her lip.

Suddenly, she sat up and jumped off the bed and slid into her chair at the desk and began to write. When she was finished, she walked over to her dresser and picked up a picture frame on the top. She carefully slid the photo out of the frame, then tucked it into the envelope.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Jasper didn't get Alice's letter until the day before he was going to leave for overseas. He sat on his bunk and slit it open eagerly.

_Dear Jazzy,_

_Jazzy. I think it suits you. What do you think? You know, I'm not sure how I came up with that one. Eh. Tell me if you like it or not, please?_

_I don't get a funny story? Well, that's sad...who knows, maybe I WILL ask your mom. So there. _

_So soon? I'm not going to lie either, I'm scared for you. It seems like your mom had already told you this a hundred or so times but you haven't heard from yet..._

_Please be careful. Be very, very safe. Don't try any hero stuff. I just want you to come home safe, okay? I'm sorry, but I had to ask. Promise me?_

_I'll look at the moon tonight. And every night. Every night until you come home, and I'll look at the moon with you. _

_And...to answer the last part. Yeah. Yeah, I'll be your girlfriend. But, only if you'll be my boyfriend. _

_I put a picture of me in the envelope with this, by the way, in case you don't see it or anything. So, now you have that one thing. Looks like you need a new one. _

_I have to ask...do you know what the point of algebra is? And why it's so important to study things that happened thousands of years ago? _

_I'm sorry that this isn't very long, but I have a lot of homework I have to do now. _

_Be safe!_

_Alice_

Jasper turned the envelope upside down and shook it a little, and sure enough, and picture fell out. He picked it up and turned it over. Alice stared up at him in black and white. She was sitting on a fence and laughing at the camera. Her long hair was braided, just like it was the day that he'd met her, and he could just see the bow at the end of it.

Then, it hit him. _That's my girl. _He thought, looking at the photograph in his hands. He grinned and tucked the photo into his pocket very carefully, then went on with packing, thinking about Alice.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

It seemed like it had been years since Alice had gotten a letter from Jasper. She went about her life, helping out in the diner, going to school, and putting on a smile, but still no letter came.

"Alice, what's the matter with you these days?" her friend Carla asked her as they walked home from school one day.

"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong." Alice told her, smiling. _I miss Jasper. _She thought sadly.

"It's like you're in your own world. You don't talk anymore. You never want to do anything anymore, you haven't slept over in a week! Are you sure you're okay?" Carla asked again, putting her hand on Alice's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I promise!" Alice insisted. "Tell you what, how about we have a sleepover at my house tonight? Go home and ask your mom, and I'll ask mine. Met at the diner, cause I have to work for a little while, okay?" She knew that she was moping, and that it was stupid. _He's just busy. _Alice told her self. _He'll write soon. _

Carla nodded eagerly, and ran off in the opposite direction of the diner. Alice walked home at a slower pace, forcing herself to stay calm, and not to hope for a letter. _But, it's been two weeks. Surely, he's found time to write by now..._

Her mother tossed Alice her apron as soon as she came back down stairs from changing out of her school clothes and putting her books upstairs. She was now wearing a knee length, pale blue sundress that matched her eyes. As she tied on the apron, she asked her mom about Carla staying over.

"That's fine, as long as you two actually sleep this time. No talking all night." Mrs. Brandon said sternly. "Now, there are a lot of people here today. Hop to."

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

There was a knock on Alice's door, and her mother poked her head into the room.

"Ali, a letter came for you." she said, holding it out. Forgetting about Carla, Alice jumped off the bed and raced across the room. She snatched it out of her mom's hand. She just managed to get out a thank you to her mom before she sat back down on her bed.

"Who's it from?" Carla asked curiously, wondering if this had anything to do with the way her friend had been acting lately. Alice opened the envelope hurriedly and yanked the letter out.

"Jasper." She said softly, a smile, a real smile, lighting up her face. This only confused Carla more.

"Who's Jasper?" she asked, her voice breaking into Alice's thoughts. She set the letter down, very carefully. She'd read it later, when Carla was asleep.

"Jasper Whitlock. He lived on the other side of town, but he's in Vietnam now. He-he's my boyfriend." Alice said shyly, looking down, still smiling. Carla squealed and covered her mouth with her hands.

"Oh my gosh! You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend! And a soldier too!" Alice eventually managed to change the subject, but still had to wait three hours before Carla fell asleep at last. Alice picked up the letter off her bed and crossed her room to her window, lighting the small lamp on the sill and settling herself on the window seat to read Jasper's letter. She unfolded it and began to read.

_Dear Ali,_

_Jazzy? Oh, I don't know. If you want to call me Jazzy, go ahead. I don't mind too much. _

_Do you know how happy you made me? Thanks for the picture, by the way. You're beautiful. And you're my girlfriend. And yes, I'll be your boyfriend. _

_I really have to tell you a story? Alright..._

_When I was little, I spent a lot of time at my Grandmother's house. She had this huge tree in her yard, perfect for climbing. One time I was climbing it, I must've been eight, and I got almost to the top, but my foot got stuck. I must've been twenty five feet off the ground. I freaked out and started crying and screaming. My uncle was the first person who heard me. At the time he was eighteen. So he sees me stuck up there and he just starts laughing. He had to sit down he was laughing at me so hard. My aunt, who was sixteen, had to climb up the tree and help me down. _

_Now you have your story. Now, do I get a cute one about you?_

_I promise I'll be careful. No hero stunts or anything. I promise to come home. Don't worry too much about me though, alright?_

_I'm over seas now. I'm not allowed to tell you where exactly. It's worse than I that it would be over here, but I'll make it through. The fellow I told you about before, Ryan? He's still with me, over here. It helps to have someone over here who knows what I'm going through. _

_And sometimes, when I close my eyes, I see your smile. I can remember it perfectly. It makes me smile every time I remember it. _

_I'm afraid I don't know the point of it. However, I was rather good at math when I was in school. I didn't like doing it, but I always got good grades. _

_What are things like at home? _

_Tell me ten things about you that I don't know. _

_What do you think of Elvis? My mother loves him, and claims that she's met him. She always used to listen to his record while she made dinner. _

_Write me soon? I might not be able to answer for awhile, but don't worry too much. I promised that I'd come home safe, remember?_

_Love,_

_Jasper. Or, if you prefer, Jazzy._

Alice finished reading, smiling without knowing it, and leaned her head against the cool window pane, looking out at the stars and the moon. He'd signed "love." Did that mean anything?

And, he'd promised to come home safely. He wouldn't break the promise. She could feel that, deep inside her.

He would come home.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Jasper had to wait what seemed like forever for Alice's next letter to come. He was busy during that time, and although his mind was usually occupied, he could never quite get that pretty face of hers out of his mind. It was the worst when he was trying to fall asleep. He even dreamed about her.

The letter finally arrived after two and a half weeks. He found himself sitting outside his bunks one night, a lantern by his side, with the unopened letter in his hands. For a moment, he just looked down at it, running his fingers over the writing on the outside. He glanced up at the moon for a second, then opened the letter.

_To Jasper,_

_Hello again! I have no idea when this will reach you, but I'm writing this right after reading your last letter. A friend of mine, Carla is sleeping over tonight, but she's been asleep for the past hour by now. I'm sitting on my window seat and writing this. It's very late, past midnight, but tomorrow's a Saturday, so it doesn't matter. I can sleep in a little tomorrow...today...whatever it is. _

_I'm glad I made you happy! I like making people happy. _

_Yay! You're my first boyfriend, did you know that?_

_Thank you, for telling me the story. I had to bit my finger to keep from laughing too loud and waking people up! There are still teeth marks on it! Let's see...a story about me, preferably cute. I might be able to some up with one. _

_When I was seven, I spent the summer with my grandparents on their ranch. My Grandfather taught me how to ride a horse, but the first lesson didn't go too well. _

_He'd picked out one of the most gentle horses they had, it's name was Frankie (strange name for a horse, don't you think?) So, he put me up on Frankie's back and showed me how to hold the reigns, and lead us around for a little while. He decided it would be all right to just go for a little ride, I was doing so well. So he got on his own horse, and off we went, just walking. Things were going well...until Frankie saw a snake. Then, he bolted. It was terrifying. I didn't know how to stop him, so I just hung on to his neck and did my best to keep from falling off while Grandpa tried to catch up with us. _

_When we finally stopped, I was laughing like I was crazy and yelling that I wanted to do that again. _

_How was that? It was all I could think up as of now. _

_You are? I thought you must be....when do you get to come home? Do you know?_

_You make me smile..._

_Things at home? Well, what do you remember from when you were here? It's pretty much the same. Not much goes on here, you should know that. This is just a sleepy little town by the ocean in Texas. _

Jasper kept reading the letter, and when he finished, he read it again. And again. Then he tilted his head back and looked up at the night sky, full of stars.

He didn't know how long he was there, but it seemed like only a moment later when he heard someone sitting down beside him. He turned his head as Ryan got settled on the patch of ground beside him.

"What are you doing out here so late?" he asked Jasper, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"What time is it?" Jasper asked. It had only been a little after nine when he'd sat down.

"A little past eleven." Ryan answered, glancing down at the watch on his wrist. "So, what are you doing out here?" he asked again, taking a glance up at the sky.

"Oh...letter from Alice." Jasper said, carefully folding up the two pieces of paper and sliding them back into their envelope. Ryan smiled a little, to himself. This boy was head over heels.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Time passed. Jasper and Alice sent letters back and forth, and even though they were halfway around the world from each other, they grew closer.

It had been a long time since Alice had gotten a letter from Jasper. She wasn't too worried. There had been long spaces between letters before. And, he'd promised that he would be safe.

There was a football game that night. Alice didn't really like them, but she was in the band, so she had to go anyways. She stood in front of her mirror, carefully braiding her long hair, and tying a bow on the end of it.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

"Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name." The crowd started. Alice said the words, but didn't really listen to what she was saying. She wasn't feeling very good...like something terrible was about to happen. Her head shot up when a man said into the microphone,

"Folks, would you please bow your heads for a list of our local boys who killed in the fighting in Vietnam."

Alice's heart missed a beat, and her stomach turned over. _No. _was all she could think as the foreboding feeling got stronger and stronger as the man read through the list of names.

"Jasper Whitlock." He read, and someone rang a small bell.

Alice stopped breathing, tears suddenly streaming down her cheeks. Then, someone was screaming.

"No! No!" the person was repeating the same thing, over and over again. Then, Alice realized that it was _her _who was screaming, and that someone was guiding her away from the crowd, then scooping her up and carrying her. She looked to see who it was through her tears. Unruly bronze hair. Bright green eyes. It was her older brother, Edward. She hadn't known that he'd come home from University, but here he was, carrying her away from the football field with long, loping strides.

"Shhh. It'll be okay, Ali. It'll be okay." He told her, carrying her to his car and setting her inside it. But she wasn't listening. She was sobbing, wrapping her arms around her self.

_Jasper lied. He promised me he would be careful! _She thought wildly. _No. it isn't true. He's okay...he has to be okay! God, please let him be okay!_

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

_So, this is hell? _Jasper thought, gritting his teeth to keep from screaming as he attempted to take a few steps in what he hoped was the right direction before his leg gave out. He managed six steps before he had to stop and lean against a tree.

_I've been doing this for days! I have to be getting close to the camp by now. _He told himself as his stomach growled loudly. He forced himself to take a few more steps before he fell against another tree, groaning as he jarred his broken arm. At least, he thought it was broken. In pure frustration, he yelled for help, knowing that there was no one to answer him. He slid down the tree into a sitting position. He thought he heard voices approaching him, but his world went black before he could tell what they were saying.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

_I want to die. _Was Alice's repeated thought, as she lay, curled up in a ball under the covers in her bed. She hadn't eaten in two days, but ignored her growling stomach. She cried a lot. Jasper had broken his promise, and she didn't want to live without him.

Edward finally managed to get her to eat a little something on the third day.

A week passed.

Alice's mother made her go back to school.

Life moved on, but it wasn't the same for Alice. She knew that it would never be the same.

A month had gone by since she'd found out about Jasper. It was almost nine, and she was curled up in her bed with the lights off, wishing sleep would come so that she could see Jasper in her dreams.

There was a knock on her door, and she didn't answer. After a moment, it came again.

"Go away!" She yelled miserably, a few tears leaking out. The door opened, then shut again, and a moment later she felt the bed dip as someone sat at the foot of it, but she didn't look up. It was probably her mom.

"Do you really want me to go away, Ali?" A voice asked, softly, sadly.

That was definitely not her mom.

She sat up, very slowly, and turned on the lamp next to her bed. Light flooded the room, illuminating a tall figure sitting on her bed. Alice started to sob, and threw herself forwards and hugged him as tightly as she could. Jasper hissed in pain as his arm was jarred, and she let go of him quickly.

"I'm sorry!" she sobbed. "What are you doing here? I-I-I thought you were dead!" she cried, cupping his face in her hands, then checking him over to see where he was hurt, and touching his face again, overwhelmed.

"No. I wasn't dead. I just got separated from team after a raid...and I went missing for a few days, and I was assumed dead." He said quietly, reaching out with his good hand and stroking her hair.

"Ali, Baby, please don't cry." He whispered, moving his hand down to wipe away the tears still streaming down her cheeks.

Neither of them noticed Alice's mother and father watching them through the now open door with smiles on their faces.

"Jazzy, you're hurt!" Alice accused suddenly, gasping. He chuckled softly.

"Yeah, I know that already. I got shot in the leg, and I broke my arm, but I'll be fine before too long." He said in his quiet manner.

"Do-do you have to go back?" Alice asked quietly, looking down at her blanket. She didn't know if she could take it if Jasper had to leave again.

"No. No, Alice, I'm here to stay." He assured her, smiling at her.

"I love you!" Alice said suddenly, like she couldn't keep quiet any more. She gasped, and covered her mouth with both of her hands.

_She loves me! _Jasper thought, his heart jumping into his throat and beating wildly.

"I love you too, Alice." He said, and leaned forward and kissed her.

* * *

**There we have it. What did you think? Should I write an epilouge for this? Was it terrible? I know how the song actually ends...But I couldn't kill Jasper!! So, I tweaked it a bit for my story. **

**Thank you for reading!! I would love it if you left me a review!! **

**~Dani**


	2. Chapter 2: epilogue

**Two years later.**

Jasper Whitlock and Alice Brandon walked along the beach, hand in hand. Jasper was limping a little; the gunshot to his kneecap two years before had taken it's toll on his knee. He would walk with a limp for the rest of his life. Alice had just graduated highschool and turned seventeen. She was still working as a waitress at the diner her parents owned. Business had really picked up in the past year. She had plenty to keep her busy, and made a decent amount of money from the bit that her parents paid her, plus tips. Jasper was now twenty, and was working in construction, mainly new houses for the growing population of the town.

It was sunset. The sky was a mix of pinks and purple and oranges, and Alice stopped Jasper so that they could watch.

"Let's just sit down for awhile." She suggested. It was their two year anniversary. In the hand that wasn't holding Jasper's, Alice held a single red rose that Jasper had given her. Jasper nodded in silent agreement and sat down in the warm, soft sand, his back against a solid dune. Alice sat down in between his legs and leaned back against his chest. Jasper smiled and wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you." He said quietly, being careful to hide his nervousness from Alice. It wasn't all that easy. She could read him better than anyone else, and noticed right away if he was in a bad mood, or if he was happier than usual, and so on.

They sat and watched the sun sink in silence for a while. Soon, the sun appeared to be touching the water.

_I can do this. This can't be harder than making it back to camp with a bullet in my knee. _Jasper thought, taking a breath to steady himself.

"Alice?" he started. _Damn! _His voice had shook.

"What? What's the matter? Am I hurting you? I'm sorry." Alice said, getting to her feet quickly and brushing the sand off her dress. Jasper laughed.

"No, I'm...I'm fine." He assured Alice. _God, she looks beautiful. _He thought as he dug in his pocket.

_What's going on? _Alice thought, a little confused. Her parents had acted rather strangely all day, her mother coming close to crying when Jasper came to pick her up, and now Jazz was acting all nervous.

Jasper hid the little box in his large hand, and carefully got into a kneeling position, putting his weight on his good knee. _This is it. No going back now,_

_Oh my God, what is he doing? _Alice thought, starting to breathe a little faster. _It can't be what I think he's doing. _

Jasper fumbled a little with the velvet box, but he got it open, and held it on his open palm.

Alice gasped audibly, and covered her mouth with both of her hands.

_She's crying?! Why is she crying? _Jasper shook his head, and stood up. He couldn't just let her cry. He held the box in one hand and hugged Alice.

"Ali, will you marry me?" he whispered into her ear.

Alice laughed through her tears, and nodded into his chest, unable to speak. She threw her arms around his stomach and hugged him as tightly as she could.

_I can't believe this. _She thought. _I can't believe this is happening. _Her mind was buzzing.

_Did she say yes? She said yes! Yes! _Jasper thought, ecstatic.

"I love you." He told Alice, smiling wider than he ever had in his life.

"I love you more." Alice said back, sincerely. "Now, do I get to see my ring?" she asked, letting go of him and rocking back and forth on her heels. Jasper threw back his head and laughed.

"Yes, you can see it now." He said. They resumed their position, sitting on the sand, and Jasper reached around Alice's small form to show her the ring. It was a simple sliver band, with a single, oval diamond, but it was beautiful. Alice gasped softly.

"Oh my God. Jazz...It must've cost a lot...it's too much." She said, but her tone said that she wanted to keep it. Jasper chuckled in her ear.

"I've been saving." He said simply, then carefully took the ring out of it's velvet box and slid it on her left ring finger.

"Perfect fit." Alice said happily, smiling and admiring the ring.

"God I love you." Jasper said, sounding a little awed. He pulled Alice back against his chest and kissed the top of her head. She giggled, and snuggled closer.

"I love you too."

* * *

**So, this is somewhat short, actually, no, it's VERY short, by my standards, but I liked it. What do y'all think? **

**Thanks sooo much for reading and reviewing! (Please?) I'm really glad you did. **

**Here are some things to check out: My other fic, Speechless (unfortunatly, I'm currently writing the epilogue for that too) and, my community. To find them, just go onto my profile! Please and thank you!**

**Well, until the next fic!**

**~Dani**


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